To test the hypothesis that, after a short period of specific training with a pocket-sized ultrasound system, novice operators could reliably measure the abdominal aortic diameter. We assessed the agreement between abdominal aortic diameter measurements from novice operators using a pocket-sized ultrasound system and experts using conventional machines.
After focused training of novice operators, the abdominal aortic diameter was independently measured at least four times: by two experts using conventional ultrasound, by one expert using a pocket-sized ultrasound system and by at least one novice operator using the pocket-sized system; each operator was blinded to the others.
The aortic diameters of 56 patients were measured. The intraclass correlation coefficients between the four sets of measurement were all > 0.91 and the mean difference between the measurements was negligible (<1 mm). The interoperator variability for experts using conventional machines versus novices using pocket-sized machines was 鈮?#xA0;4 mm in 92.0% of cases. No learning curve over time was noted.
In order to screen for abdominal aortic aneurysm, the abdominal aortic diameter can be accurately measured by non-specialist physicians with pocket-sized ultrasound devices after a short period of training.